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Narrowing my gaze, I smirk. “Unlike the others, I know your role is strictly platonic. As long as you keep her safe, you’ll all continue to breathe.” Refusing to take the bait, I climb the stairs two at a time until I stand outside Ariah’s bedroom door.
The scene at their home in Colorado flashes through my mind as I mimic my actions from that night. My forehead rests against the door—my hand holds the knob as I inhale her scent, hoping this isn’t the last time I’ll see her. “I’m here, Love,” I whisper, resting my palm on the door. She’s inside, but my feet feel frozen in place.
“I know you’re out there, Wy,” Ariah announces, and I hear the amusement in her tone.
Turning the knob, I open her door, then step into her room. Ariah’s sitting up in bed, drinking a smoothie. She’s wearing one of the band tees I had included in the weekly care packages we sent. The avocado sits next to her body pillow. “Riri,” I choke out, attempting to swallow the overwhelming emotions whirling in my chest. It’s been too long, and the last time I was with Ariah, her cries nearly broke me.
A small smile appears on her face as she places her drink on the nightstand. That’s all I need to cross the room. I capture her face in my hands, tilting her head up while lowering my lips to hers until I’m devouring her. She opens her mouth, allowing me access. Hints of apple, mango, and ginger burst across my tastebuds, but none of them compare to the flavor that is her. My hands move to grip her hair when I’m suddenly on the floor.
“Did you think you’d come in here, kiss me, and all would be forgiven? You have lots of explaining to do, asshole,” she heaves. My gaze heats when her skin flushes red. Ariah licks her puffy, freshly kissed lips, and my cock comes to life. Down boy.
Pushing off the ground, I reply, “I expect nothing less. I’m here to answer all the questions I can.”
Her strawberry-blond brow arches. “I’m going to say this one time only, so please pass the message on. Anyone who comes in here with that ‘we can’t tell you’ or ‘this is for your protection’ shit will catch an elbow to the throat and a fist to the groin,” she snaps.
“Fuck, I’ve missed you, Love,” I profess.
Ariah crosses her arms. “You have one minute to start talking, or I’ll kick you out.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, drawing blood, trying to get my erection under control. “You have to cut that out, Riri, or I’ll say screw your one minute and fuck you until you remember my dick is tattooed on your walls.”
“Wyatt, please,” she pleads, but I see the yearning burning in her gray eyes. Ariah blinks, regaining her composure. “We need to talk. I’ve been reading Wes’s journal and have spoken to Shay, but there are still so many missing pieces.”
Shaking off my lustful thoughts, I point to the spot on her bed, and she inclines her head for me to take a seat. “I’m not sure how far into his journal you are because Wes never let anyone read it. Hell, he tried to hide it for the longest time, but we all knew he had it,” I begin, running my fingers through my hair.
Ariah shifts in the bed, adjusting her pillows before refocusing her attention on me. “Continue.”
“That day was never supposed to happen,” I growl, clenching my jaw. My anger rises at the memory of the turn of events. “None of us knew Wes’s intentions until he announced her name. And trust me, Love, he paid for it.”
Ariah asks more questions, and I continue to answer, from letting her know Wes was on everyone’s shit list until we found out about Owen to the way we raced to her house to explain it all to her.
She nods. “Wes recounted that day’s events and further detailed all your asinine reasons for why you couldn’t at least tell me Owen was missing.”
“First, explicit instructions were given that Owen would die. Secondly, you left,” I mutter. “You packed up all of your shit without asking any questions and left us—left me!”
Surprise glints in her pewter eyes, and I fist my hands at my side. I didn’t realize how hurt I still was about her leaving. “Wyatt, I?—”
Her words seem to die in her throat, and I wonder if it’s due to the anguish on my face. “I could see how you might doubt Wes, Lev, and even Sebastian’s feelings, but O’s and mine—ours should never have been in question.”
“Everything happened so fast, and Wes’s words,” Ariah shakes her head. “His words left very little room for questioning. So, pardon me for not sticking around after being told I wasn’t good enough. A message Wes and Lev looped for months.”
The hurt in her gaze matches the cracked heart in my chest that stopped beating since she left. Rein it in, asshole.
I spring up from her bed and kneel beside her before clasping her hands in mine. “When the world is in chaos, and you’re unsure which way to turn, know I’ll always be your North Star, Love. Did it gut me that you weren’t confident in my feelings for you? Yes, because my love for you knows no bounds. But I also know in the end, leaving kept you safe.”
After standing, I sit on the edge of her bed, then lean forward, licking the tears trailing down her cheek, and groan before I pull back. My eyes glaze over. The hunger that simmers under my skin bursts to life.
“Focus,” she snaps, breaking the spell.
I chuckle and sit back. “Can you blame me? I’ve been picturing you being back in my arms for months.”
Ariah’s neck flushes scarlet. “Wyatt, if you don’t take this seriously, I’m going to ask you to leave,” she exclaims.
She’s right. The only way we make this right with her is to tell the truth. While our intentions are good, keeping information from Ariah has only made the situation worse and given Senator Baker and Samantha more power. Hopefully, after she knows everything, she’ll forgive us.
Titling my head, I drink her in one last time before responding, “Okay, Love. Ask away.”
53
